Some say
by leiamoo
Summary: "I think I know enough of hate / To say that for destruction ice / Is also great / And would suffice." Helsa/Iceburns. Hans finds a way to get off the boat at the end of the movie. He remains in Arendelle and things happen. Things like anger, and redemption, and something that looks like love.
1. Chapter 1

**note: helsa…. i've resorted to helsa.**

**a few notes on the whole shebang: **

**first, i think i may have read every single iceburns story out there & something i've noticed is, most of them involve hans being the one to discover elsa's feelings toward him, and then rudely calling her out about it, appearing all-knowing/having his emotions totally in check, and using it against her [even if only for awhile]. personally, i think it'd be the other way around, and that's what we're going to have here: elsa grew up holding her emotions in, so she's a pro at it. she'll be the one who realizes hans is falling for her, and she may just have a little fun with it, because she's the queen & hell, she can have her fun if she wants to. **

**secondly, another common denominator i see is the awkwardness/anger between anna & hans, which i simply believe would NOT be an issue. it's clear from the movie that, by the end [when kristoff drops her off at the gates & she is all "will you be okay?"], anna is already into kristoff. i think returning to hans was a reluctant last-ditch effort to save herself, but that she'd already realized her mistake in accepting his proposal. therefore, in this story, there will be no angry!Anna or sisterly fights over the rules of feminism. and anna won't be all … wounded from the whole ordeal.**

**i know it was **_**crucial**_** to put that out into the universe.**

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Hans knew he had to get off the boat. There was no way, _no way_ he would face his brothers and come out of it alive. They would finally be able to finish off their baby brother, _humble, homely, hellish, hated Hans_, and they would be right to do so and no one would ever protest because, after all, he was defective. Vengeful. Shameless. He knew these things in his head, knew that his actions toward the princess and the queen of Arendelle were despicable. He was six again, out in the forest and surrounded by his brothers as they took turns practicing uppercuts on his face.

And yet, for the first time in his life, he had felt _hope_. Hope that he would never need to return to the Southern Isles. Hope that he could be free to rule a kingdom and escape his family's yoke of greed. He had taken a truly greedy path to arrive at his plan, and that plan had backfired in the most twisted of ways, but it had begun as a means to escape.

All was lost.

And yet, he had to try.

Hans ripped the bucket off his head and sat up in the cell. He overheard voices up on the ship's deck calling orders, cargo being moved around, equipment tossed and dropped, the churning of the waves against the hull.

"Hello?" he called. No answer. He tried again, louder. Hans began to beat the bucket against the wrought iron bars of his cell, more desperately with each _thud_. After a few minutes, a squat man trudged halfway down the stairs.

"Shut up," he called gruffly, then turned to climb the stairs again. Hans sprang up and grabbed the bars with his hands, trying with everything inside him to not appear desperate. And probably failing miserably.

"Wait, please! I… I request an audience with the queen," he called up. He attempted to keep his voice calm and level, knowing no one would reason with a madman. _You were trained to do this as a prince,_ he told himself, _always appear in control. _

The deckhand raised an eyebrow and replied, "I have a feeling she will refuse." Still, for some reason he did not move from his spot on the stairs.

Hans glanced down at the floor, knowing this was his last chance.

"I would like the opportunity to speak with her. Please inform her immediately. I will be brief."

() () ()

The queen had just finished her ice skating charade, which had all been Anna's idea, of course, and had faded back into the shadows and ducked away from the celebration. Elsa felt highly uncomfortable, almost _scandalous_, creating ice and snow in front of people. She did not know if she would ever grow accustomed to it, and part of her wished she wouldn't.

_This curse should not be displayed so casually_.

She entered the library and closed the door behind her, leaning up against it to catch her breath. She was exhausted. This was evidenced by the dark circles beneath her eyes, and the fact that she was wearing the same dress she'd created for herself up on the North Mountain.

Elsa crossed the room to seat herself in front of the window. She looked out at the gardens, and beyond to the fjord and the distant mountains.

Arendelle was truly beautiful, and Elsa knew this more than most, as she had spent years of her childhood staring out at the landscape. She knew the types of trees and shrubs; she could correctly categorize each of the ships in port; she could track every constellation in the night sky.

_If only the knowledge wasn't bought with my sister's unhappiness._

Just as she decided to bathe and change for bed, forgoing dinner, she heard a light knock on the door.

"Come in."

Kai's head appeared, popped in from the hallway. He looked uncomfortable, which worried her.

"Your Majesty… there is someone who wishes to speak with you."

Looking back, she would blame his tone for the light layer of frost which spread out at her feet.

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	2. Chapter 2

The queen sat in the throne room, fiddling with her hands. Ice was slowly, gradually climbing up the sides of her throne even though she was breathing, breathing slowly, _deep breaths_, _don't feel, don't let it show_.

_Why did I accept his request? He almost killed Anna._

She closed her eyes and tilted her face up toward the ceiling. _No, I almost killed Anna._

Elsa silently begged the universe to let this meeting go smoothly. She would listen to Hans' words, send him back to his ship, and be finished with the whole ordeal.

The heavy wooden doors opened, and Kai walked in with the prince.

() () ()

_God, she looks angry._

_Wouldn't you be angry if someone tried to kill you, then came back begging for forgiveness?_

Hans grimaced.

_I will not beg._

Kai deposited him at the base of the raised platform. Hans tried to bow gracefully, but his legs buckled after being chained for the past two days, and he crashed down to his knees. The queen jolted upright, and for a moment Hans thought she was moving to help him up, but then she stiffened and relaxed back in to her throne.

_That's better, Your Highness. You'd better not show pity on a criminal, or your subjects might think you soft._

He stood with difficulty, and looked at her face. Hans wondered if the dark circles beneath her eyes had been there that day on the fjord. He noticed the frost overtaking her throne, and realized she was struggling to maintain control.

This made him smile.

"Your Majesty, thank you for seeing me."

She remained silent, her face a mask of solid ice. He knew he would be able to crack it.

"There are some things I wish to say, and a proposition I would like to make."

She raised an eyebrow. He wondered if she was trying to intimidate him. _You think you're made of ice, but I know you're breakable. I saw it that day, when I told you Anna was dead. You were so lost, you were so desperate, and you cracked._

"First, great job on unfreezing the kingdom. But I can't help but wonder how long the _love_ thing will last."

Her eyes widened, but this was the only proof that his words had reached her.

"Also, I wanted to tell you I'm breaking off my engagement with your sister. Looks like she wasn't exactly faithful anyway, what with that ice harvester she's following around."

Hans wondered if he could make his voice harsher; he wasn't getting the reactions he'd hoped for from the queen.

"Furthermore, I want to wish you luck, for however long these people allow you to curse them."

The queen stood, and the temperature of the room dropped so suddenly that Hans coughed, his breath coming out in a large white cloud.

She descended the three steps until she was standing immediately before him, and although she only reached his chin, he thought _god almighty, her eyes are on fire_.

"Prince Hans. I trust you will enjoy your voyage home."

And, with that, she turned and walked toward the side door to exit. Hans, still trying to calm his breathing in the frigid air, gasped out a mumbled sentence she could not understand. She halted, and turned her face back toward him.

"What did you say?"

"I—Iwish—tostay—inArendelle," he choked out.

"Excuse me?"

"Donotmakemebeg."

"What could you possibly offer us? Why should I hear your request?" And she was facing him now, waiting for an answer which would change her mind. Waiting for an answer which would make her forget that he was a scoundrel, and a schemer, and a sly mischievous wretch.

"I will be the most miserable of your prisoners."

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	3. Chapter 3

Elsa wondered what she had been thinking, what deplorable lapse of judgment she'd been experiencing, when she accepted Hans' request. _The prisoner's _request. He had given her no explanation, no valid reason which would explain his desire to stay in Arendelle. Only a vague comment and an agreement to behave himself.

_Yet another mistake_, she thought as she crossed the room to sit at her large desk. The stacks of paper and open books had completely overtaken the once-clean surface, and she rifled through them absentmindedly. _Yet another reason why I shouldn't be the queen_.

It had been three days since she escaped the dungeons, almost died on the fjord, and thawed her frozen kingdom. Three days she had spent doubting, worrying, and expecting Kai to walk in and announce that her crown would be removed forever. _What kind of people would want a monster, a sorceress, to lead them?_ She knew it was only a matter of time, so she'd spent the time fervently working to ensure a safe and smooth transition. She completed the tasks her father taught her. She signed the letters, and verified the trade agreements, and reviewed the tax information, and edited the treaties, and responded to the requests from neighboring lands.

Elsa pushed a few strands of hair behind her ear. There were things she had neglected during those three days also. Things like eating, and sleeping, and taking care of her appearance.

Scanning the room, she let her eyes land on the naval map which took up the entire south wall. She trailed her eyes over the trade route which led to the Southern Isles and sighed.

_I will find out what the prisoner is plotting. I will make sure he brings no more harm to my kingdom._

() () ()

When Hans was removed from the throne room after his meeting with the queen, the guards returned him to the dungeons. He never expected to rejoice at the sight of a dimly lit cell, but when he compared it to a slow death at the hands of his brothers, he felt like gripping the iron bars passionately.

That evening, a guard had brought him a small bowl of soup and a loaf of bread.

The next morning, he woke to a potato cake and a bowl of fruit.

_This is the life_.

Around lunchtime, he heard a quiet rustling in the stone hallway. Someone was approaching slowly. Hans crept toward the cell door, but could not see the person until they rounded the corner, and even then he wasn't sure if his eyes were working properly.

_The queen?_

She wore a dark blue dress tied at the waist with a light blue ribbon, and he wondered if she had grown even thinner since he saw her last. It was difficult to tell, partly because this dress covered much more than the icy number she'd worn before, but he took into consideration the disheveled braid in her hair and her gaunt, worried face.

_She's going to kill herself._

"Your Majesty," he greeted her with a wicked smile, erasing all thoughts of her well-being. She was the enemy and, to be quite honest, if he had played his cards right, she wouldn't be alive to stand before him.

She reached the iron bars and halted, eyes slowly trailing up from the floor to rest on his face, exhausted.

She took a deep breath, then spoke regally and in a voice which was much stronger than Hans expected, "Good afternoon. I demand to know why you wish to remain in Arendelle." She stared at him, unblinking, requiring an answer.

Hans ran a hand through his hair and gave her a grin.

"I respectfully refuse to answer."

"You cannot refuse. Either you explain your reasons, or you will return to the Southern Isles."

"Fine. I admit it: it's the overwhelming hospitality I've been shown. Why, just this morning, I was given a feast which filled me to the brim; I could not even finish my meal due to its large portions," he said grandly, and snidely, and in a voice which meant _I hate you and your damn country._

She blinked.

"Was your meal unsuitable?" she asked it so honestly that he wondered if she actually cared. Her eyes were clear and bright. He thought _how utterly naïve she is_.

"No, Your Highness, it was perfect. If you call a cold lump of potatoes desirable. Which, of course, I do."

She frowned and clasped her hands together, wringing them out in what he assumed was a nervous way.

"I… I—will remedy the situation. Please tell me your reasons for remaining in Arendelle." Her voice was slightly softer now, and he marveled at just how unsuitable she was for her position. _She's a child. She is taking pity on a prisoner. She is making requests instead of demanding obedience._

"Because you asked so nicely, and because I have absolutely nothing to lose, I will acquiesce." He sat back down, against the wall, and crossed his legs straight in front of him. "Were I to return home, I would most certainly be executed."

Elsa's mouth clamped shut.

"How can you be certain?" she asked quietly.

He met her gaze. "Because they have been looking for a reason since I was born."

() () ()

Hans thought his conversation with the queen had been beneficial, at least for himself, because his meals improved: heaping bowls of hot soup, plates of steamed vegetables, ripened fruit from the orchards, and fresh seafood.

In the back of his mind, he hated her more for it, but he did not think his gratefulness would prevent him from murdering her if he had a second chance.

It was two weeks before he saw her again.

() () ()

"Anna, NO!" The queen yelled at her sister, anger evident on her face and in the layer of ice which shot out from beneath her feet. Anna sighed and threw herself down onto the couch.

"Elsa, you are so frustrating! Just send him back, he's not our prob—" she insisted, but was cut off forcefully.

"Is that what our parents would have done?! Because I really think, considering the alternative—"

"You can't live your life trying to do what mom and dad would have done!"

"AND WHY NOT?"

"Because they are GONE, Elsa! You are the queen now, and if a decision needs to be made, it's your –"

"Anna, I am very aware of my position. We are finished discussing this."

And the queen swept out of the room, snowflakes trailing behind her.

() () ()

She blazed into the dungeons, breathing hard, frost exploding beneath her footsteps. Hans started, choking on the damp air; he'd been dozing.

"A request has been brought before the council. You may be sent back to the Southern Isles." She said it loudly and full of malice. Hans could not tell in which direction her anger was pointed, but he shuddered just the same.

"I see."

The queen began to pace, just outside of his cell. The trail she walked, back and forth, quickly froze over and snow began to pile up around it. She did not notice.

"She's just so… I can't even… to think that… this is absolutely…" she trailed off and slammed her hands angrily against the iron bars. The deafening sound caused him to jump up, but he remained back in the shadows away from her.

"I… is there anything I can do?" he asked, forcing his voice to remain calm. _Even though I hate her, it would probably be best if I don't piss her off right now._

She snapped her head up and glared at him.

"Why am I even discussing this with you?!" she asked, more to herself than to him.

He shrugged, then motioned to the growing snow drifts near her ankles.

"You obviously need to discuss it with _someone_."

And, before she left for the evening, he realized _she is fighting to keep me here. She is fighting to keep me alive. _And he realized _I hate her even more now._

() () ()


	4. Chapter 4

() () ()

_To King Leopold of the Southern Isles,_

_I, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, hope this letter finds you well. I write on the subject of your youngest son's imprisonment. Personally, I wish for Prince Hans to remain here for the time being, where he can serve his sentence for the crimes of treason and attempted murder. He is being kept in a solitary cell. There are questions as to your stance in this matter. While I understand this is a family issue and therefore a sensitive subject, the atrocities committed deserve the highest level of punishment. Please respond at your convenience and I will, of course, acquiesce to your wishes._

Elsa sighed and sealed the letter, then placed it with the other documents on the edge of her desk.

It was late. The sun had set hours ago, and the lamps were burning low. The queen rubbed her eyes and took a moment to rest her head on the desk. The coldness of the wood soothed her throbbing temples.

_King Leopold agreed with my decision when I first wrote to him about Hans. He will agree with me again. _Of this she was certain, and she resented her advisors for asking her to bring the subject up again. The king had many responsibilities, including his twelve other sons.

She couldn't help but wonder if Hans was telling the truth, if his family's bond was so very weak that they would actually execute him, given the choice. She found herself believing it, and shuddering at the thought.

The night wore on, and her worries piled atop each other until the rays of sunlight scared them away.

() () ()

Hans awoke to light on his face, patching in through the high window on the wall. He added another notch to the rotting wooden bench and counted the marks—thirty days in captivity.

He wondered if he would ever be allowed outside, even just for a few hours. The subdued workouts he completed each day could only keep him occupied for a short while, and he longed to run, climb, shout, breathe the fresh air blowing in off the fjord.

He was halfway through his push-ups when he heard someone descending the steps. _Breakfast is served_, he thought as he continued, sweat beading on his forehead and neck.

When finished, he sprawled out on his stomach and took a few deep breaths. Then he rolled onto his back and glanced toward the door.

_Oh god._

Hans sat up quickly, face flushing.

"Your Majesty."

She stood at the iron bars, a breakfast tray held loosely in her grip, one eyebrow raised. Her dress was clean, but her face was still pale and tired. She wore an uncomfortable look on her face. He wondered when she last slept.

She unlocked the gate and approached him; he jumped up to stand awkwardly. She placed the tray on his wooden bench, then backed away.

Hans wondered if the queen's fear came from being alone with a prisoner, or from being alone with a man, or from being alone with a man who had tried to kill her. Realizing she could take her pick, but regardless she would end up being justified, he sat down on the bench next to his meal.

He watched her close and lock the cell, _were her hands trembling?_, and then she stood on the other side of the gate, watching him move his food around.

"Don't you have more pressing duties than feeding the prisoners?" he asked.

She grimaced. He felt a slight pang of guilt for insulting her, but it only lasted a moment.

"I… volunteered. I hadn't been down in a while." Her voice was soft, and perhaps a little shaky.

"Ah, you were _checking on me_?" his coldness hid his surprise.

She started to shake her head but halted, lifted a hand to her forehead, and screwed her eyes shut tightly. He noticed a layer of sweat on her face and wondered if it was normal for the Ice Queen to be overheated. Before he could fully consider the thought, she lurched forward, gasping. Her breath came in short, quick gasps. She placed her hands gingerly on her knees, trying to regain her composure.

Hans stood and approached the bars, wondering what the protocol was in this situation. She clearly needed medical attention. He was locked inside, unable to assist her even if he wanted to. _Which I don't_, he insisted even though his fingers curled into fists.

And then she collapsed.

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	5. Chapter 5

Anna spent two days worrying at Elsa's bedside, while her older sister slept soundly. According to Gerda, the queen was suffering from exhaustion, dehydration, and a few other things Anna couldn't remember, _was anemia one of them, I can't remember,_ none of which were life-threatening. The princess could not help but glare at her sister as she hovered on the edge of consciousness.

_If you had just taken care of yourself,_ she sighed, _this would not have happened._

A scratchy noise emerged from the queen's throat, and Anna gasped.

"Elsa?! Are you awake?" the princess hurriedly poured a cup of water and held it to her sister's lips; Elsa weakly lifted her head and sipped, then rested back again as if exhausted.

"Wha—what happened?" she croaked.

"You fainted, down in the dungeons. I bet half of the kingdom heard the racket—"

"I don't understand." And she looked it. Her tired eyes were screwed up in concentration, but somehow still not focusing on the objects in her field of vision.

"Uh, well, for some reason you were in the dungeon, you know, when you passed out. And Hans was locked in, and, well, he went a little crazy… he was banging on things and screaming for help..." Anna trailed off, unsure of how to continue.

The whole situation was odd. She had been out in the courtyard that morning, and Kai had approached her, _why does he look so worried_, and then _your sister has collapsed_, and then she was running and _Elsa's face is so pale_, and _what the hell did Hans do to her_, and then sitting in that godforsaken chair for two days.

The queen's expression was unreadable, and she slowly drifted off again.

The princess was still confused about the whole thing, and she left the room in search of answers.

() () ()

It had been two days since the incident. Since she tumbled to the floor and he made himself hoarse trying to get someone's attention. Since _she's on the other side, I can't get to her, oh god oh god oh god what is wrong with her_, and _what if she dies right here, and I have to sit and watch_.

Two days since _but I was going to kill her anyway._ _So why is this bothering me?_

He had not been updated on the queen's condition, nor had he asked any of the guards who'd delivered his meals. They probably wouldn't share information with a prisoner in the first place, but he also refrained because they might be suspicious of his interest.

He was surprised, to say the least, to find Princess Anna standing outside his cell that afternoon. She looked uncomfortable.

"Um. Prince Hans? I, uh, have a message for you."

He stood and approached the iron bars, remaining a few feet away to spare her the stench he surely carried.

"Elsa… I mean, the queen…well, she is doing fine."

Hans nodded, and felt something uncoil in his stomach.

"And… I wanted to thank you. For alerting the guards, you know."

He nodded again.

She looked like she wanted to say something more, but she stopped herself. He wondered what it could be. He hadn't seen her since the fjord, and the boat, and he could remember the sting of her punch on his left cheek. The princess picked at her long skirt and looked away from him.

"But… _why_?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you try to help? I mean, you could have just… left her there… _you've done it before_." She didn't mask it. Although she harbored no bitterness toward him, _hell, I've got Kristoff now, and that's better than ten princes of the Southern Isles,_ she still felt a little uncomfortable being around someone so devious.

_I deserved that one_, he thought as he pictured her, strands of white weaving through her hair, gasping on the wooden floor as he doused the fire. _If only there were someone who loved you, Anna. _

_God, I was such a dick._

"I suppose I could have, yes. But, well…" he trailed off, thinking about how to phrase it, "you'd be surprised what a month of solitude will do to a man."

And he almost believed it. Hans could feel small changes taking place inside of him. He no longer felt the pent-up rage burning within him, or the thirst for power which overshadowed every decision. The dark and the cold and the _lonely_ were eating away at those parts of him. He longed for conversation, and friendship, and sunshine, and _air_, and unrestricted movement.

He wasn't a fool; he knew not to expect these things. He was a prisoner, after all.

Anna stared at him for a long moment, then frowned.

"I sure hope you aren't trying to charm her like you did to me."

Hans couldn't help but grin in response.

"Forgive me for saying, your highness, but your sister would never fall for that."

Anna chose to ignore the implications of his comment. Instead, she turned and swished up the stairs.

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	6. Chapter 6

It was two more days before the queen could climb out of bed, dress herself, and make her way down to the great hall for breakfast. She managed the whole thing with only a few winces and many deep breaths and lots of _slow down, or you'll end up in bed again_.

She couldn't help but feel ridiculous when Kai explained her condition: she had fainted due to lack of food, water, and rest.

_Nothing is wrong with me, except my own stupidity._

She knew Anna would explain it in so many words, if she could ever track Anna down. Elsa had not seen her sister since the day she awoke, and she couldn't help but miss the confusing conversations, awkward hugs, and ever-present sunshine.

After a relaxed breakfast and three cups of hot tea, the queen stood (and only swayed for a moment) and made her way out of the hall. She had five days of paperwork to catch up on.

() () ()

Anna's knock shook Elsa out of her confusion. The letter fluttered to the ground beneath her desk:

_To Queen Elsa of Arendelle:_

_Kindest regards. I apologize for the delay in my response. I must confess, I expected your letter to carry news that you had grown tired of your prisoner and would be returning him. I am surprised by your interest, and moreso by your questioning of my feelings on this matter. Keep the prisoner for as long as you wish, after which time I will put him on trial. He has been stripped of his title and is no longer a member of the royal family. Treat him as you would any other traitor, and know that my apologies travel across the ocean each day._

_King Leopold of the Southern Isles_

"Elsa?" The princess stood in front of the desk. Her older sister's frown reached her eyes.

"What is it, Anna?"

"I… just wanted to… ask you something. It's about H—Hans."

Elsa's eyes traveled down to the missive on the floor. She waited.

"I want to know, why are you so… _protective_ of him? After everything he—"

"Anna, I don't wish to discuss this right now."

"Oh, _really_? _Her Majesty_ doesn't wish to discuss it?! Well… I—uh—I do." Anna's voice was angry, then she faltered, then she was angry again.

_Anna can't even decide how she feels. I can't have this conversation right now._

"Please… I'm still feeling a little under the weath—" she began, but was cut off quickly.

"Don't give me that story! You would _never_ admit it, even if you _were_ feeling bad! Elsa, _tell me what's going on_!"

The queen sighed.

"I don't even know that I understand your question. I am not being protective of him. He's locked in the dungeons; he hasn't even been let out for recreation; there's nothing to discuss." She shuffled a few papers around on her desk, trying to wrap this up quickly. Anna wasn't buying it.

"_Please_, stop pretending I'm an idiot. Why were you down there last week, when you collapsed?"

"I was delivering his meal."

"The queen does not typically deliver meals."

"That's one of the funny things about being _queen_, Anna: I can switch up my agenda as I see fit."

"Forget it then. Why won't you return him to the Southern Isles?"

"We have discussed this. They would most likely execute him."

"And _why_ is that a bad thing?!"

Elsa gave her a glare which sent ice across the table.

"Alright, alright… fine. I just don't understand why you seem to _pity_ him."

"I do not _pity_ him. There is no way I could forget the pain he inflicted on you." The frost which crept up from the floor stopped at Anna's fingertips, which she curled.

Anna stared at her sister for long, silent moments. Her eyes were clouded.

"Elsa… please don't make this about me. He hurt _you_ also."

The queen scoffed. _Why is she trying to bring me into this? He didn't toy with my affections, pretend that he loved me, then leave me for dead._

"His actions toward you are far more important to me."

_But they shouldn't be_, Anna thought to herself. _Why does it always have to be about me? She spent her childhood feeling guilty for hurting me. She shut herself away out of fear for my safety. She left Arendelle to keep her distance from me. Hans was almost able to murder her because she gave up, thinking I was dead._

"I need you to stop this… this… weird circle you've been going in."

The queen looked up, now confused. "What?"

Truthfully, Anna didn't know how to explain it, but she floundered forward, blindly hopeful.

"I don't really get it, but… I don't know… it seems like you're always worried about me. It, like, messes with your decision-making. And, I think I need you to let me worry about myself."

Elsa raised an eyebrow, wondering how exactly to understand her sister's point of view. Certainly, she _did_ worry about Anna. She worried that she was too naïve to make good choices. She worried that harm would come to her, as it had in the past, from Elsa's uncontrolled powers.

"Anna, I worry about you because I _love_ you." Elsa marveled at the simple words, tumbling out of her mouth in an almost-comfortable way that she never expected to grow accustomed to. This was the true magic, she knew: love.

The princess spoke so quietly that Elsa had to lean in to listen, "I know, Elsa. And I love _you_. I'm just… confused by this situation, I guess… and worried that you're starting to _like_ him or something."

Elsa pursed her lips and felt her chest tighten. _I forgot we were discussing Hans, and Anna is delusional, and I've been unconscious for days, and I haven't been spending enough time with her, and these are consequences of my behavior._

_And I could never have feelings for Hans._


	7. Chapter 7

They were all staring at her. They were staring, and doubting, and certain that she was wrong. They had gone around in circles, as they usually did, asking again and again if she was sure of herself.

_I am sure of myself._ _I have to be—I'm the queen._

"Your Highness, since King Leopold wishes for the prisoner to remain here… have you considered the possibility of… _rehabilitation_?" The voice was quiet and calculated, and she wondered if he was nervous about asking the question. It came from an elderly man named Geoffrey, one of the council members she had known since childhood.

She stared at him, wondering how to answer. She _had_ considered it, many times to be honest, had spent hours lying in her bed mulling over the possibility, trying to come up with plans which would effectively wipe the evil out of Hans. And yet a part of her wondered if, in this particular case, rehabilitation might be a lost cause.

_There are no lost causes_, her father's voice said in the back of her mind. And while she believed this to be true, she also struggled with her personal feelings toward the man who almost destroyed everything she loved. She wondered if there were circumstances in which altruism would lead her astray as a ruler.

"I have considered the option, and will ponder it moreso at your request. Is there anything left to discuss?" she asked, hoping to wrap up the meeting. The men around the table shook their heads, and at her nod they stood and dispersed.

() () ()

"Your Majesty."

"Good afternoon, Prince Hans. I trust you are doing well?" she kept her voice level as she came to a halt in front of the iron bars.

He gave her a lopsided smile and motioned to the cell around him.

"I have never been better." She would have believed his tone to be sarcastic, but something about his smile surprised her—he seemed almost content and honest. _If you have changed, Prince Hans, please let it be for good._

"Actually, that is what I'm here to discuss... it has been brought to my attention that you may require rehabilitation."

"Rehabilitation?" he asked, slightly suspicious. He sat back on the bench and crossed his arms.

"Yes—it appears you may be here permanently. If so, we would not want the rest of your days to be spent in this cell," she swallowed.

"How would you have me spend them?" He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her response. _Where is she going with this?_

"As is Arendellian custom, prisoners are offered small freedoms after a waiting period. Were you to show promise, your situation would improve."

_Even though I tried to kill you? Even though I lied to your sister, and left her for dead?_

He sat on the bench, arms remaining crossed, long enough that Elsa shifted her weight and clasped her hands in front of her body. She chewed her bottom lip in a distinctively unqueenly way.

"My Queen… I think I would like to be rehabilitated."

() () ()

Kai retrieved Hans from the dungeon early the next morning. The sun had not yet risen, and yet the prince had been pacing in his cell. He was led down the stone hallway and up the stairs, then past many suits of armor and through another few doorways until he arrived in a washroom. Kai set down a pile of folded clothes and left him alone.

_Mother of God, I can bathe!_

Hans could not remember ever enjoying a bath more. He scrubbed his skin fiercely, hoping to scrape away every moment of grubby imprisonment from the past two months. He doused his hair repeatedly, lathering the soap into his scalp one, two, three times before feeling it was sufficiently clean. He located a blade and shaved his beard and sideburns. After he washed every inch of his body, he finally drained the wash tub and marveled at the layer of grit left at the bottom.

The prince dressed slowly in the dark trousers and gray tunic Kai had left. While the shirt was too large for him, the fabric seemed softer and more comfortable than anything Hans could recall. He pulled on the socks and boots, which fit much better.

He felt younger, lighter, and better overall, after the cleansing. Hans hoped his outside more closely resembled his inside—the subtle change he could feel overtaking him—and that he could maintain the semi-optimistic feelings he had experienced for the past week or so. He did not have to remain a monster forever.

Kai was waiting just outside the door, and he gave the prince a nod as he opened it. The two men made their way down the hall and out into the stone courtyard.

_Ohmygod! _

Hans came to an abrupt halt and almost choked on the freshness of the air. The first rays of sunlight peeked over the eastern mountains. He took deep breaths and stood rooted to the spot, wondering if his eyes would water and expose him for the emotional wreck he was.

_This is what I missed; this is what I dreamed of. _Sixty-two days in a cell had numbed his senses, but now he experienced the freedom in full force.

Kai walked him across the courtyard and they passed beneath an archway into the gardens. They continued down a well-worn path and finally reached the stables. Six horses were housed in the large stalls, two of which were still asleep. The older man retrieved a few buckets of water and a scrub brush, and laid the supplies on the ground before Hans.

"You will bathe the royal horses this morning."

Hans nodded, blinking. _I cannot believe I am looking forward to bathing horses._

He was grateful that his upbringing in the Southern Isles had left him comfortable around horses. The repetitive duties of the morning brought back a few good memories of his childhood: whole days spent alone in the forest, exploring creeks and caves away from the glares of his older brothers.

By lunchtime, he had bathed five of the horses and was sitting in the middle of the stable floor, catching his breath, when he looked up to find the queen standing in the doorway, watching him.

_Holy God._

She wore a dark blue dress, covered in what he thought was a layer of light blue lace, and her long braid draped over her left shoulder. One of her pale hands rested on the first wooden gate, while the other held a plate of food.

_Has she always looked like this?_

He swallowed, willing the lump in his throat _and the beautiful woman before him_ to disappear, and stood quickly.

"I, uh… Your—Your Majesty—I, I'm sorry, I was j-just taking a break, and—" he began fumbling, but stopped when she shook her head and took a step toward him.

"Please, I only brought your lunch... Kai is outside, when you've finished." She hurriedly set the plate on a low wooden bench, squinted her eyes momentarily as if she were studying him, and slipped back out the door before he could respond.

And, even though she was gone, he had to swallow four more times before he could breathe comfortably.

_This is what I dreamed of_.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Eek! A longer chapter! Thank you guys so much for all the reviews - please keep them coming! It's so much more fun to write when you know there are people excited to read!**

() () ()

Hans was returned to his cell late that afternoon, once he'd bathed each horse and cleaned the stables. He did not expect the simple tasks to give him so much enjoyment, but the tiredness and dull ache in his muscles were welcome after weeks of cabin fever. Kai even allowed him to bathe again, which further boosted Hans' mood.

Thus, the prince did not have time to ponder his newly-discovered reactions toward the queen of Arendelle, until she was standing outside his cell door.

"Prince Hans, I trust your day was enjoyable?" she asked, seating herself properly on the bench across from his room. He sat also, running a hand through his damp hair and wondering why she always came to the dungeons alone. Wondering why she came to the dungeons at all.

"It was."

"Good."

Silence. He considered which question to ask first.

"Your Majesty… it seems a very unconventional thing to do, so I'm wondering… why are you giving me a second chance, after all I've done?"

She raised an eyebrow. _I ask myself the same question each morning. Each time I took at Anna. Each time I meet with the council. Each time Kristoff glares at me. _She sighed.

"It is not unconventional to believe that someone can change. Rather than turning you over to the Southern Isles' justice system, I prefer to give you an opportunity."

"Even though your whole kingdom disagrees with your decision?"

Her face quickly changed—there was disappointment, fear, anger, and shock, and more things he could not catch in time.

"How do you know that?" She was frowning, and her eyes flitted from his face to the floor before returning to meet his. The regal formality was gone. She was laid bare before him, unsure of herself. He felt guilty for bringing it up, but he'd been struggling to understand her point of view for some time now, and curiosity could only eat away at a person for so long.

"Surely you must know that I overhear conversations from this cell." He did not say it in a disparaging tone, which almost surprised him, but one which sought mutual understanding. She _had_ to know her subjects gossiped—and what better place to gossip than the dungeon, where no one would be able to spread the information?

She was staring at her hands, and he wondered if she was about to cry. _The ice queen would never cry in front of anyone, especially a prisoner._ Long moments passed.

"I am aware that my opinion is not a popular one. This does not affect my resolute belief that you could prove everyone wrong."

And then she was gone, the train of her dress brushing the bars as she flurried out.

"Thank you," he whispered a moment later. It was a strange and foreign feeling, and he wondered if he was feeling it right. _She believes in me._

_What the hell is wrong with her?_

() () ()

The next day, Kai had Hans scrub silver platters in the kitchens. On the day following, he polished armor. With each day of work, Hans felt more like himself—but it was a different, more pleasant and honest self, than he remembered being before. Some part of him, some deep-rooted malicious part, had peeled off during his two months of solitude. He hoped he would never grow it back again.

Hans was three days into an outdoor project when he saw the queen next. Each morning, two guards would retrieve him from his cell. The group then made their way out into the woods, where they worked to clear brush from the ancient series of trails running through.

Always a curious one, Hans had inquired about the pathways – evidently, some led down to the village shops while others headed up toward the mountains and would remain a mystery. On this third day of brush work, it was nearing lunchtime. The men were drenched in sweat and covered in leaves and twigs.

Hans wondered when they would break, as they typically did, and return to the castle for lunch. The meager breakfast he usually scarfed down in the morning had already been put away when he arrived in the great hall that morning, so he was running on an empty stomach. As he moved further and further toward exhaustion, he slowed his chopping out of fear that he'd pass out.

Just as his head started to spin and he fell over to his knees, he could just make out a high-pitched, haunting melody.

_This is it. _

_No one will cry for me when I'm gone._

Then, everything faded to black.

() () ()

Elsa made her way up the path, marveling at how clear the guards had made it in just a few short days. She'd tried to hike up the week before, but was forced to admit defeat due to the overgrown vines and limbs. Now, there was ample space for three people to walk shoulder-to-shoulder. She passed the large picnic basket from one hand to the other, humming as she walked. The day was more beautiful than she had expected, and when the kitchen staff told her they were preparing lunch for the workers, she happily volunteered to deliver it instead.

_Anything to escape the pile of letters on my desk._

The further she climbed, the more impressed she became with the guards' hard work. _And Hans'_, she added to herself. While she was trying to remain objective and not let herself become overly triumphant, she truly believed Hans was recovering. Kai's daily reports painted the prince as a remorseful man who was not likely to commit another crime.

She began to sing quietly as she walked.

_"Let it go, let it go,  
Can't hold it back anymore.  
Let it go, let it go,  
Turn away and slam the door…"_

When she reached the supplies and saw the pile of downed limbs, she put the basket down before noticing that something was amiss. Her two guards were just up ahead, bent over a third person she assumed was Hans.

Elsa drew up her dress so she could run to the men, and bent over Hans' still form.

"What happened?!" she demanded, placing her hand on the man's forehead. His eyes were closed, but his mouth was moving slightly. _Is he trying to say something?_ He was drenched in sweat, but his skin felt cool to the touch.

"We don't know—he was working, then he just collapsed," one of the men responded, handing the queen a leather pouch of water. She hurriedly dripped some onto Hans' face, brushing it across his forehead and cheeks.

"Could you… can you… do you think he is overheated and you should… remove his shirt?" She asked, struggling to make an improper question sound more proper and failing miserably.

Luckily, the men didn't seem to notice or to care. They hurriedly pulled the prince's tunic over his head, and Elsa dripped some water onto his shoulders, _don't look at him, don't look at those muscles_.

"Please get me a rag," she requested. Once one was handed to her, she dampened it and placed it on his forehead. She then had the guards pull him up into a seated position, propping his back up against the closest tree.

"I'll stay here. Please, eat your lunch," she offered. The men gladly crossed the path to retrieve their food, then dug in hungrily.

Elsa stared at Hans, routinely checking his pulse and leaning in to listen to his breathing. She dripped more water onto his forehead and brushed it back, allowing her fingers to brush through his short hair. _Wait, what?_ She recoiled her hand and leaned back against the tree next to him, swallowing uncomfortably.

() () ()

When Hans awoke, he was aware of someone seated next to him. Whoever it was, they poured cool water onto his face and, with the softest and most chilly fingers he'd ever felt, spread it around. He tried not to smile, afraid that the feeling would stop. The water felt nice, but the coldness emanating from the person's touch was much more relaxing.

He finally opened his eyes and could just make out a blurry person directly in front of him. The person had very light, very long hair. She noticed his movement and quickly pulled her hand away, which caused him to frown.

"Are you alright?" the woman asked, and Hans immediately recognized the angel's voice as that of the queen.

"I, uh, I'm—I think so," he stammered, blinking his eyes in hopes that his vision would clear. He opened them again, and the queen was more in focus. She was seated on her knees next to him, her once-pristine dress now spotted with dirt and leaves. Her face was twisted with what he assumed was worry, and quite a few pieces of hair had escaped from her bun and been pushed behind her ears.

"Do you remember what happened?" she asked, handing him the water pouch she'd been using. He gulped greedily, nodding his head in response.

"Do you think you can walk?" she asked, to which he shrugged. _There's only one way to find out_, he thought.

The prince stood slowly, using the tree to pull himself up. Elsa stood next to him, ready to catch him if his legs couldn't handle the weight. _More like 'ready to collapse under him if I try to catch him,'_ she thought to herself with a tight smile. But there was no need because, aside from a slight wobble, he was able to stand with no problem.

The queen watched cautiously as Hans ate his lunch. The two guards gathered their tools and prepared to finish for the day, thinking they should start fresh tomorrow. Once they finished, they approached the queen.

"Queen Elsa, we will take the prisoner back to his cell now."

She shook her head, wondering simultaneously what she was doing.

"I will take the prisoner with me. I have business at the burial grounds, and then I will deliver him back to the dungeons." Her tone was final and, although she knew the men would find it difficult to leave her alone with a criminal, she was certain they would obey.

The guards looked at each other, then back at the queen.

"You are dismissed," she said curtly, then regretted her tone and added, "and thank you for your hard work. The trails are lovely."

Hans watched them hike away, back toward the castle. _What the hell is she thinking, staying up here with me?_ He was very familiar with the social rules of the royal class, and this was wrong on multiple levels. He looked over at the queen, who was staring up the path, lost in thought.

"Um… Your Majesty?"

She turned to look at him.

"Yes?"

"I don't understand."

She smiled, "That is expected. You will accompany me to the burial grounds. I need to visit my parents."

There was no sadness in her voice, only what he thought was regret. When he finished eating, they made their way further up the path. The forest became denser and the path narrowed considerably, to the point where they were ducking under branches and stepping over flowering plants Hans had never seen before. But, before long, they reached a stone marker which served as a doorway.

They were standing on the edge of a huge, rolling hill. Dotted along the hill were huge steles, and Elsa set out immediately ahead of them. Hans followed, dumbfounded, impressed by the size of the tombstones. They passed blank markers, so old that time and rain and wind had erased their rulers' names. They continued over one hill, then another, before stopping in a valley.

He stayed back awkwardly as Elsa inched forward. She stopped almost directly in between two towering stones, and knelt to the ground.

Hans could not make out her words, but after she spoke for a while, he recognized the melancholy song he'd heard earlier that day before he collapsed.

_She is singing to them._

He didn't know whether to think she was crazy, or to think this was the best memorial she could give them. The melody was beautiful. She stayed there for about an hour, during which time Hans sat and stared up at the clouds rolling by.

Then she was standing over him, obstructing his view of the sky.

"We will return to the castle now," she said matter-of-factly, unlike a woman who had just grieved for her parents.

He scrambled up and nodded, and they set off back over the hills.


End file.
